Holism

Question 1

Holism

Answer 1

• Idea that humans are complex individuals whose actions are not explicable from just one view point
• Do not deny potential influence of genetics or biochemistry but feel that human behaviour is more complex and should be considered from a less reductionist standpoint

Question 2

Humanistic psychology

Answer 2

• Believe that an individual reacts as a whole and not as a set of stimulus response mechanisms
• Persons identity is what is central and a lack of identity leads to a mental disorder - low self esteem due to a lack of congruence between self concept and ideal self

Question 3

Cognitive Psychology

Answer 3

• Memory
• Recently have begun to refer to memory as a series of connectionist networks.
• Each unit (neuron) is linked to many other units.
• Can be viewed as holistic as connectionist networks as a whole behave differently than individual parts

Question 4

Gender and Holism

Answer 4

• Gender schema theory and SLT both holistic as they attribute gender typical behaviour to observation of others in environment

Question 5

Schizophrenia and Holism

Answer 5

• Family dysfunction explanation is holistic as it considers effect of how family interacts and impact on developing and recovering from schizophrenia

Question 6

Forensics and Holism

Answer 6

• Differential Association theory focuses on holistic explanations which concentrate an groups of people with whom an individual interacts and social norms

Question 7

Social Influence and Holism

Answer 7

• Conformity theory takes into account persons characteristics, nature of the task and makeup of the group in order to understand somones likelihood of conforming

Question 8

Evaluation of Holism - offers a complete picture

Answer 8

• Not all aspects of social behaviour emerge at individual level. Some only emerges within a group context
• Standford Prison experiment could not be understood by studying the participants as individuals - interaction between people and behaviour of the group that was important
• Strength - holistic explanations provide a more global understanding of behaviour than reductionist approaches

Question 9

However - offers a complete picture

Answer 9

• Not all individuals behaved in the same way in the Stanford prison study
• Individual differences possibly due to intelligence and or level of resilience
• Aspects also interesting to research

Question 10

Evaluation of Holism - difficult to integrate explanations

Answer 10

• If we accept the many factors that contribute to mental illness it becomes difficult to establish which is most influential
• When working with a depressed or schizophrenic patient should a psychologist consider their brain chemistry, family or upbringing as more important?
• Weakness - presents a practical dilemma when considering which to use as a basis for therapy

Question 11

However - difficult to integrate explanations

Answer 11

• Most psychiatrists and psychologists nowadays would advocate an interactionist approach to treating schizophrenia
• Turkington believe it is possible to believe in biological causes for schizophrenia and still practice CBT to relieve psychological symptoms

Question 12

Evaluation of Holism - lack empirical evidence

Answer 12

• Holistic explanations tend not to lend to rigorous scientific testing. Humanistic psychology is often criticised for being hypothetical and based on a rather loose set of concepts
• Self actualisation can become vague and speculative as they become more complex
• Weakness - lacks predictive powers of more scientific explanations

Question 13

However - lack empirical evidence

Answer 13

• Does not mean these untestable ideas are irrelevant or valueless
• Person centred counselling is based on Rogers ideas of congruence and unconditional positive regard and is an effective therapy for a wide range of people